The Yamaha BB mega-thread

[gobasserk]

Had a white 1024 that was far to heavy and had a bassball racket as neck.  Had to go soon again. 

[Al Krow]

@stewblackI have the BB1025 (no "X" => no PG). Lovely bass, also white like @gobasserk 

I've done several 2 hour gigs with it and found the neck to be very comfortable - so I guess me and Herr Basserk are not of the same view on this one. But, as with anything, good to get genuine opinions from both sides of the track! 

Just checked for you and mine is 9.4 lbs, so I would have expected the 1024 to be a touch lighter with a thinner neck, however the seller is indicating 10 lbs for his (maybe just down to accuracy of scales?)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it and how it stacks up against your other basses, if the trade goes through.

GLWTT  

Edited May 26, 2019 by Al Krow

[stewblack]

12 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

@stewblackI have the BB1025 (no "X" => no PG). Lovely bass, also white like @gobasserk 

I've done several 2 hour gigs with it and found the neck to be very comfortable - so I guess me and Herr Basserk are not of the same view on this one. But, as with anything, good to get genuine opinions from both sides of the track! 

Just checked for you and mine is 9.4 lbs, so I would have expected the 1024 to be a touch lighter with a thinner neck, however the seller is indicating 10 lbs for his (maybe just down to accuracy of scales?)

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it and how it stacks up against your other basses, if the trade goes through.

GLWTT  

It all depends on what I'm offering being to his taste of course. It is a lovely bass but I have others similar to it. I have nothing like the Yamaha

 

22 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Is that also on eBay??

I don't know...

[gobasserk]

Sound was great, it just was not the "step ahead" that I thought it woud be compared to my 1000ma. The 10000ma is lighter and felt somehow "faster" ...and my quiet new 414 does not feel or sound "cheaper " than the 1024.  

By the way..I live close to the "Musicstore" in Cologne and I did not like the 2024 basses I could play there, nor the BBP34 that they have. I don't know why... 

[Al Krow]

19 minutes ago, gobasserk said:

Sound was great, it just was not the "step ahead" that I thought it woud be compared to my 1000ma. The 1000ma is lighter and felt somehow "faster" ...and my quiet new 414 does not feel or sound "cheaper " than the 1024.  

By the way..I live close to the "Musicstore" in Cologne and I did not like the 2024 basses I could play there, nor the BBP34 that they have. I don't know why... 

I've not played a 2024, but I regard both my 1025 and P35 as being excellent basses. But sounds to me like you prefer the older BB range than the newer stuff - fair enough: many still hold the view that the 1200S and 2000 / 3000 / 5000 were Yamaha's finest BBs.

There won't be a massive difference between the 414 and the 1024 in terms of sound; but there are a number of incremental features e.g. spline jointed body for greater strength, body through stringing, 5 piece neck, improved bridge, more refined pups, nut made of the same alloy as the frets (nickel silver) to get close to a 'zero' fret. 

 

[gobasserk]

Well I liked the 734 at Musicstore when it came with fresh strings out of tthe box. I like all the ideas of the improvements!  It's just that they made not a notable difference -for me. 

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, gobasserk said:

Well I liked the 734 at Musicstore when it came with fresh strings out of tthe box. I like all the ideas of the improvements!  It's just that they made not a notable difference -for me. 

Fair enough. But I've never really found playing through the London Yammy store's Hartke 50W Combo has been the most enlightening experience, certainly in terms of the nuances of tone. Particularly with all the background store noise and not being able to play at anything other than fairly quiet volumes

In fact, even at a recent rehearsal using the studio's Ashdown rig, the lush tone that my 1025 bass puts out was much less clear than when I swapped to using my own more transparent DG M900 and BF SC rig, at which point my bass player's grin was duly restored!

Edited May 26, 2019 by Al Krow

[gobasserk]

Of course you must play it with a rig that is at least equal to the one you're used to.  At Musicstore you can choose from 10watts Behringer to 8x10" Glockenklang and everythin in between.  And my 410/210 /ABM600 Ashdown rig brings the best out of the bass.  Although my spare amp, a Hartke LH500 is more transparent,  more mosfet-ish 😛 

Here are my 4 cool cats..

[Al Krow]

Very cool! 😎 

And I love the descending formation too! 

[AndyTravis]

Nice little wall.

[gobasserk]

Oh, amp wise, I've been on quiet a jouney! I always loved the old Trace stuff that I played for about 100 years 🙂 But the cabs are soo heavy..!!

I tried a lot, went all digital with Tecamp and Orange Terror but it soundet only great when played without band... it could not cut through in my rock bands - maybe it works with other styles. Last try for "light and loud" were three Hartke 12", 500 watts digital combos stagged together. 

Went on tour, played one night with a low budget analog rig of another band and sold everything digital at once when back home. 

Remebered that I knew Mr. Gooday from Ashdown (ex Trace) and he very very very kindly offered me a nice deal - I am not Paul McCartney...!!! 

In between I had been to Musicstore (again) and took time to test every amp they have in store. I was willing to buy the amp with the best sound for me (and my Yamaha, that I brought for testing) no matter the price. I did- it was a cheapo Hartke LH500 that blew me away because of its clear pure tone. 

Now with the Asdown rig I can say that it is a totally cool rock rig, I love it. Still have my beloved 410s of Trace but this 300 watts cabs weight about 50 kilos. 

Edited May 26, 2019 by gobasserk

[bassfan]

1 hour ago, gobasserk said:

Of course you must play it with a rig that is at least equal to the one you're used to.  At Musicstore you can choose from 10watts Behringer to 8x10" Glockenklang and everythin in between.  And my 410/210 /ABM600 Ashdown rig brings the best out of the bass.  Although my spare amp, a Hartke LH500 is more transparent,  more mosfet-ish 😛 

Here are my 4 cool cats..

The cat is lovely 😃

[Horizontalste]

This was the "one that got away", absolutely beautiful to play & once belonged to @Machines many years ago!

[Al Krow]

Oh that is indeed lovely! Which model?

[Horizontalste]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Oh that is indeed lovely! Which model?

Early 614, natural always was my favourite finish on the BB's, if a 615 ever comes up for sale in natural I'll be all over it!

[AndyTravis]

Need to buy 2 gotoh 201’s now.

and a natural 614 😂

[Al Krow]

9 minutes ago, Horizontalste said:

Early 614, natural always was my favourite finish on the BB's, if a 615 ever comes up for sale in natural I'll be all over it!

Check this link that Chris posted a few week's back:

On 07/05/2019 at 08:29, ChrisJaxon said:

Mickleburgh in Bristol have had a 615 in stock forever and every now and then they knock the price down. Very interesting price...See here: https://mickleburgh.co.uk/shop/yamaha-bb615-bass-guitar/

[Horizontalste]

2 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Check this link that Chris posted a few week's back:

Damn!

 

That price is a tad rich for my liking though 😎

[AndyTravis]

10 minutes ago, Horizontalste said:

Damn!

 

That price is a tad rich for my liking though 😎

NOS...offer £250, if it’s been there ages

[Horizontalste]

33 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

NOS...offer £250, if it’s been there ages

I'll give them a call when I'm back off holiday!

[therealting]

@stewblack Funnily enough the other bass in my gig bag when I sold you the fretless was my BB435!

[stewblack]

1 hour ago, therealting said:

@stewblack Funnily enough the other bass in my gig bag when I sold you the fretless was my BB435!

Aha! It's a small world. 

[sykilz]

My 414 had been gigged for 3 years weekly in grimey pubs with a classic rock band, now retired for a couple of years from live playing I decided to clean and restring last weekend, wow, what a marvellous bass!!! And what a lot of filth I got off of it. Purchased from a guy called Mojo on here as I remember, I love this bass and it’s the last one I have now....it’s going nowhere....!!

[Al Krow]

@sykilz that vintage white is just lovely and the lighter fretboard wood works really well in terms of complementing the finish - I actually think I prefer it to the darker fretboard on my (also vintage white) BB 1025. Out of interest, what's the weight of yours?

Edited May 27, 2019 by Al Krow

[bassfan]

54 minutes ago, sykilz said:

My 414 had been gigged for 3 years weekly in grimey pubs with a classic rock band, now retired for a couple of years from live playing I decided to clean and restring last weekend, wow, what a marvellous bass!!! And what a lot of filth I got off of it. Purchased from a guy called Mojo on here as I remember, I love this bass and it’s the last one I have now....it’s going nowhere....!!

I think I need one of these for my MHS collection!